staycation

American  

[stey-key-shuhn] / ˌsteɪˈkeɪ ʃən /

noun

• staycations
  plural

1. a vacation spent at home or near home, doing enjoyable activities or visiting local attractions.

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staycation British  

/ ˌsteɪˈkeɪʃən /

noun

1. informal a holiday in which leisure activities are pursued while staying at one's own home

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• staycations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of staycation

First recorded in 1940–45; stay ¹ + (va)cation

Explanation

A staycation is relaxing at home or in your own town over a break from work or school. If it's too expensive — or stressful — to go on a long road trip or fly somewhere and stay in hotels, your family might choose to staycation instead. The word staycation is a blend of stay and the last part of vacation. It’s a vacation where you stay at home. You might just hang around the house reading a good book or playing games. Or you might visit local sites that you never seem to have the time to go to — like the zoo, an amusement park, or a museum. Staycations can be a lot of fun, and relaxing, too, because you can avoid travel headaches (like flight delays) and sleep in your own bed every night.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

staycation staycations

In April, her family will take a staycation in their hometown of Las Vegas, instead of a planned road trip to Yosemite National Park.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 28, 2026

“It made me want to redecorate my whole house,” said Nicole Schenk, a Philadelphia-based nurse practitioner who booked the suite for a staycation with friends.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 7, 2026

Later this month my family is going on a quick staycation at Wyndham Hotel, booked entirely with my generous friend’s points she offered us, since they are due to expire at the end of June.

From Salon ● May 28, 2025

"We are pushing the staycation model a lot, and we are trying to invite people to discover their own countries and to avoid the flights when it's possible."

From BBC ● Nov. 12, 2023

He didn’t even experience a slowdown during the pandemic, simply a switch from out-of-town customers to L.A. locals looking for a staycation.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2023

For that half of the population, staycations are a way to save on dining out, entertainment and driving, the survey showed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026

From comforting foods to cozy staycations, here’s the latest on local things to do.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 25, 2024

Ideally for the Houstons and hoteliers, Southern California residents might even decide to turn downtown visits into staycations that last a couple of nights because they are entertained, he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 3, 2023

But while families look for summer sun, Booking.com said its most-booked destinations by Brits for February half-term included staycations in London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow and York.

From BBC ● Jan. 13, 2023

Instead, travelers can find cheaper ways to unwind, such as with shorter trips, staycations or camping.

From Washington Post